I would much rather search for a lost dog than for a missing person

         Perhaps that seems a lousy comparison.  And I am not actually comparing the dog to the human being – I am comparing the emotions one may go through as he or she searches for a pet as opposed to searching for a family member.

          I do have examples for both.  We have had two dogs that have come to us in their prime.  Both during different years and in different cities.  Both had/have a sense of adventure beyond our fenced yards.  And both have managed to escape – though it has been quite a mystery about HOW they escaped – especially the first one.

          The one who lives with us currently has always been nearby and often returns home on his own.  The first one was a happy wanderer who was on a mission to find his boys – he had claimed them before they claimed him.  He loved our boys and would often show up at their school.  Animal control found him just as many times as we did.  We didn’t have a chip for him.  It would have been less costly.

          I would think the idea of putting a chip into a child would appeal to many parents.  And lately I’d be leaning toward putting a chip in my mother – who has become frail and disoriented and just recently lost her driver’s license.  Although she had one before the new year.

          90% of the time she seems to be coherent.  But that 10% can raise frantic emotions like you wouldn’t believe.  Take the the end of 2011  for instance.  Her car had disappeared from the driveway.  And it was dark.  But she decided to go for a joy ride.  Afterall “she has been driving for years and it’s okay for her to be by herself” – that was how she rationalized it when she was confronted five hours later.

          I was one who was searching – not even close or semi close to where she was found – and so all the information that was given to me was second and third hand information.  But watching her distant facial expressions and hearing the explanations from her mouth the next morning I was actually present for.

          My brother had put in a police report giving out the car, make, model and license plate #.  Mom has NEVER had the best sense of direction anyway.  Nor has she ventured out at night for some time. But now – she can’t find places – she doesn’t even like to go very far – nor does she even know how to get there.  She is quite rational when she is coherent – but if she doesn’t check her blood or take the right amount of medication, another personality seems to take over.

          My family and I would like to express our gratitude to the police who found her and pulled her over and took her keys away and called my brother to come and get her.  For she is safe now.  And we would have never even thought to look where they found her. 

          I don’t know anyone who has been able to involve the police in searching for a pet. I would rather spend two weeks searching for a lost pet than just six hours searching for a family member.